Today's opinions and editorials

Health Reform Will Increase Medicaid Costs The Philadelphia Inquirer
The financial stakes are high for the states, nearly all of which are struggling just to discharge their current Medicaid commitments (Laura Katz Olson, 10/27).

Tort Reform Could Be Big Health Expense Saver The Detroit News
Perhaps no other plank of health care reform is known to provide as much savings as fixing the problem of defensive medicine, skyrocketing medical malpractice insurance and how those costs are passed along to the consumer (Newt Gingrich and Wayne Oliver, 10/27).

Health Care System Is Broken The Bismarck (N.D.) Tribune
In Washington, the Democrats are in charge. If they can't muster the will to make long-term positive change, then I say make no change (Roger Branning, 10/27).

Health Care Affordability Matters Most The Albany (N.Y.) Times Union
Instead of focusing almost solely on the avenue by which consumers access health care coverage -- private insurers versus a public option -- elected officials at both the state and federal level should be looking at ways to reduce costs and make coverage more affordable (Paul Macielak, 10/27).

Unemployed? Need Health Care? Suck It Up And Join The Military The Baltimore Sun
This is a hopeful story: Anyone 18 to 42 who's out of work and wants government-paid health care should join the military. There's plenty of money for that (Kevin Horrigan, 10/26).

Reid's Public Option Makes A Splash Kansas City Star
The public option must remain on the table to provide some competition for those private insurers (Yael T. Abouhalkah, 10/27).

Scituate, Rhode Island, Can Save America The Daily Yonder
With a solid "Yes" to primary care for everyone, and a reluctant "No" to most everything else, one community meets the national health care crisis [this story includes a photo of a truly giant pumpkin] (Michael Fine, M.D., 10/27).

Americans Like What Is Familiar, Even If (A) Better Solution Might Be Out There The Bakersfield Californian
If you remove government from this equation, these are Americans who might not otherwise afford ever-out-of-control private heath insurance costs (10/26).